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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Curveballs for Jobu is Offbasepercentage's daily trip around the ballparks.

Today's honorary bat boy is David Nied.

Yankees 11, Athletics 5. I'd say the signing of Marcus Thames has been one of the highlights of the 2009-2010 off-season for the Yanks. Thames, who had a .320/.401/.544 slash line and a 158 OPS+ in 172 plate appearances coming into Monday's game, popped a three-run home run, his sixth in his last five starts, helping make Trevor Cahill look human (4 IP, 8 ER). And Thames has done all this with the middle name of Markley. Impressive. Encouraging stuff from Javy Vazquez out of the bullpen-4 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6 K-making a no-decisoner out of Dustin Moseley.

Astros 3, Cardinals 0. You know the old saying: if it's late August, J.A. Happ's about to throw a complete game. Happ allowed two hits and a walk, dominating the Cards for his first complete since last August 27. You know the other old saying: Jason Castro went 0-for-3 again.

Braves 9, Mets 3. The top three in the Atlanta lineup-Omar Infante, Jason Heyward and Martin Prado-went 8-for-14 with 7 RBIs and the Braves improved to a dominant, 47-18 at Turner Field.

Cubs 14, Pirates 2. Crazy person Carlos Zambrano somehow managed to pitch 5 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run or screaming at a four-year girl for spilling her Dippin Dots. Zambrano also hit a two-run home run in the fifth and thanked the rooster in his ear.

Reds 5, Brewers 4 (10). Jay Bruce singled off Trevor Hoffman in the 10th and the Red Stockings now have a six-game lead on the Cards in the Central. That division may be over. More alarming is the fact that I think Trevor Hoffman may be over.